Thursday, April 23, 2009

This is one of those topics that gets debated endlessly (unless you're in a room full of Apple lovers). What's the best smartphone for a medical student, resident, or attending physician?

Several years ago, the answer would have been simple: Palm Treo. Then, the answer may have evolved to: Treo (either Palm OS or Windows Mobile). After the Apple iPhone came out, the resounding consensus among young physicians was: iPhone. Now, we see doctors carrying the BlackBerry Storm (among other BlackBerry devices). There's a newer version of the BlackBerry Storm that's coming out. The Palm Pre running Web OS is a hot new phone that has many people excited, but will it beat out the iPhone? The Palm Pre has a hardware button keyboard, so that may be a very attractive feature for people who want to type quickly. What about all those Windows Mobile users out there? I admit that I'm still one of them and I use an older HTC Windows Mobile device (the xv6800 which is also known as the Sprint Mogul and HTC Titan).

So which phone is the best? It's so difficult to answer because technology evolves too quickly. We can't keep up with the advances and as soon as you buy what you think is the "best" phone, a new mobile device pops up that's faster, cooler, and better.

Comments

I have had a blackberry, currently have an Android and a iPhone. The blackberry had a great keyboard but not many apps. The Android has a good keyboard with some apps and the iPhone has no Keyboard and almost to many apps. Many that are worthless or games. Currently the market doesn't really support business or healthcare apps very well because of the revenue model. That should soon change as did the Internet.

My suggestion is to select a phone and the service that you need for now. The phones are like computers as soon as you get one is is outdated.

This is a great and puzzling topic. I was a fan of Palm and still use a Treo 650 but the only available Treo now is the Pre, which is on Sprint. I also have a Blackberry Curve, which has crashed twice and does not run apps like Epocrates well--in fact, AutoUpdating is what causes the crash. Unless the Pre is available on AT&T or Verizon, I think I will go with the iPhone, which runs Epocrates Essentials but not the Mobile CME. Windows Mobile sucks and is complicated so forget that. Does anyone have any other opinions?

I don't know if anyone's still checking this post, but I'm here a year later (May 2010), and I want to get a smartphone. Droid Incredible is new on the market and if anyone has had a chance to check it out, I would appreciate any thoughts on it, especially if it's good or bad for physicians. I want to use the smartphone primarily for e-prescribing and carrying reference materials, as well as any new, relevant medical apps. Have never had a smartphone.

I got the HD2 phone by T mobile and planning to return it since it doesnt support epocrates aplication which I use alot I went back to my blackberry 8900 by tmobile and I think its way better than the new HD2 but I am still looking for a good device to useDr. Alsamman Family practice.